Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called a snap general election for November 29 after parliament rejected his government’s housing relief measures amid growing protests over soaring rents and house prices.   Sánchez, who has been prime minister since 2018, announced the election in a televised address on Monday, saying he needed a broader parliamentary mandate to advance his government’s agenda. The election was originally not due until August 2027. Housing Crisis Fuels Political Pressure The snap election follows the defeat of housing measures proposed by Sánchez’s minority coalition government. The proposals included automatic renewal of tenancy agreements and restrictions on evicting vulnerable tenants. Opposition parties rejected the measures, with Catalan separatist party Junts also voting against them despite its importance to the government’s parliamentary support. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Madrid and other Spanish cities demanding affordable housing. Hundreds of protesters have also maintained a tent camp in central Madrid for more than a week. The demonstrations intensified following the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid home, where she had lived for more than seven decades. Housing campaigners said an investment company that acquired the property sought to raise her rent by 275 per cent. The backlash eventually resulted in an agreement allowing Abascal to return at a lower rent. Rents Nearly Double in a Decade Spain’s housing affordability crisis has become a major political issue as demand continues to outpace supply. According to property website Idealista, average rents in Spain have almost doubled over the past decade, while asking prices for homes have increased by about 90 per cent. Sánchez defended his government’s economic record, arguing that Spain has grown faster than major European peers under his leadership and that unemployment has fallen. However, rising living costs and housing expenses have left many households struggling to benefit from the wider economic growth. Opposition Leads in Polls The conservative Popular Party (PP) has generally led the Socialists in recent opinion polls. PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo welcomed the election announcement and questioned whether Sánchez should receive another term after eight years in power. However, polls suggest the PP could fall short of an outright parliamentary majority and may need support from the far-right Vox to form a government. The election is expected to turn the housing crisis, the economy, migration and allegations of corruption involving figures close to Sánchez into major campaign issues.

The Federal Government has announced a ₦250 million support package for the families of 37 young miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.   Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced the intervention on Monday during a condolence visit to the Niger State Government and the victims’ families. Shettima described the deaths as a matter of national concern and said every citizen in state custody is entitled to protection, regardless of any allegations against them. He said the government owes the families justice and answers over the circumstances surrounding the deaths, adding that anyone found responsible must be held accountable through due process. The Vice-President also appealed to residents of Niger State not to politicise the tragedy or demonise Governor Umaru Bago. Governor Bago thanked Shettima for the visit and said the state government’s demand for justice was a moral responsibility rather than an act of vengeance. The governor also pledged Niger State’s cooperation with the Federal Government’s investigation into the deaths. The Federal Government had earlier suspended 20 NSCDC officers in connection with the incident and constituted a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the miners’ deaths.

A senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) leader, Abdussamad Ohida, has been killed during a joint security operation in the Owo forest area of Ondo State.   According to The PUNCH, the intelligence-led operation was conducted over the weekend by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army troops and the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as the Amotekun Corps. Ohida, also known as Anwar, was reportedly killed alongside several other members of the terrorist group after security forces launched a surprise attack on their forest hideout. Security sources said Ohida previously served as deputy to the ISWAP Central Nigeria leader, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023. Following Ikrimah’s arrest, Ohida allegedly took over ISWAP activities across parts of the North-Central and southern regions of Nigeria, where he was involved in planning and coordinating terrorist operations. Planned attacks on civilians According to the sources cited by The PUNCH, intelligence obtained through the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped security agencies uncover plans attributed to Ohida to attack civilians during the forthcoming Yuletide period. The sources also alleged that the group intended to disrupt the 2027 general elections. The intelligence was reportedly corroborated by United Kingdom intelligence partners, who supported the operation that led to Ohida’s elimination. Attacks linked to Ohida Security sources attributed several previous attacks to Ohida, including the December 31, 2025 invasion of Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo, Ondo State, during which AK-47 rifles were reportedly stolen before the station was destroyed with explosives. He was also accused of involvement in the July 28, 2022 attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State, as well as the July 11, 2022 attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. Other attacks allegedly linked to him included the April 23, 2022 assault on Ogaminana Police Station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, which reportedly killed five police officers, and the February 7, 2022 attack on the Okene Area Command police station. The sources further attributed the December 24, 2020 attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which killed two naval officers, to the ISWAP leader. Security officials described Ohida’s death as a major disruption to ISWAP’s leadership structure and its efforts to expand its operations into central and southern Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu has mourned the victims of the military aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, and ordered an investigation into the incident.   The aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed shortly after 9am on Monday. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said Tinubu extended his condolences to the victims’ families, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). “This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said. The President commended the NAF for immediately activating search and rescue operations, as well as first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response at the crash site. He also directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash and help prevent similar incidents in the future. A military source told Channels Television that all 32 people aboard the aircraft died in the crash. The aircraft, identified as an ATR-42, was on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos when it went down in a swampy area near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had earlier confirmed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft.